Financial Considerations
The cost of organizing a hybrid meeting may be higher than an in-person only meeting because specialized audio-visual equipment, a virtual platform, skilled staff and a suitable venue are necessary. Corporate sponsors may have limited interaction with virtual attendees, making hybrid meetings less attractive for financial support. This is complex, and we acknowledge that it may remain a significant barrier, but we hope the benefits of a hybrid meeting encourage continuous problem solving rather than an outright return to fully in-person meetings.
Conclusion
As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have the ability to remake the conference experience to maximize engagement in rheumatology research, dissemination of knowledge and connection to the global rheumatology community. The hybrid conference offers the opportunity to cultivate a community and allow rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals to stay connected to research, patient resources and practical clinical teaching. The benefits of the hybrid conference make it a worthwhile experience to preserve.
The authors represent clinicians and researchers, trainees and established practitioners from both the U.S. and other countries.
Disclosures
Professor Richard Conway reports being a member of the speakers bureaus for UCB, Janssen, Roche, Sanofi, AbbVie, Galapagos, Fresenius Kabi and Viatris; undertaking clinical trials funded by AbbVie; and receiving grant/research support from Janssen, Celltrion and Nordic Pharma.
Dr. Laura Lewandowski is the vice chair of the Lupus Committee for the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance.
Dr. Noelle Rolle is a member of the Lupus Educator’s Network.
Dr. Grant Schulert has received consulting fees from Sobi (Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB) and research support from IpiNovyx.
References
- Tao Y, Steckel D, Klemeš JJ, et al. Trend towards virtual and hybrid conferences may be an effective climate change mitigation strategy. Nature Commun. 2021 Dec 16;12(1):7324.
- Nordberg LB, Vikse J, Heiberg MS, et al. Rheumatology congresses post-COVID-19: We cannot regress. Lancet Rheumatol. 2023 Jun 2.
Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. government, CARRA or the ACR.
